Prostrate or sometimes decumbent, mat-forming perennial herb with a rootstock considerably thickened for up to c. 5 cm. below the ground and then abruptly more slender, mat from c. 7–70 cm. across. Stems numerous from the base, much-branched, branches opposite (or alternate by reduction of one of the pair), more or less densely white-lanate. Leaves variable in size and shape, the lamina narrowly elliptic to broadly ovate, mostly 5–22 × 1.5–14 mm., acute to subacute at the apex, rapidly narrowed below to a broad petiole up to c. 8 mm. long, glabrous or subglabrous on the upper surface, more or less densely lanuginose with long, matted, white hairs on the lower surface, especially when young. Inflorescences dense, ovoid, of up to c. 10 flowers, whitish, to c. 6 mm. long, the axis long-pilose; lower flowers frequently minutely pedicellate below the bract, the upper sessile. Bracts hyaline, very delicate and concave, c. 1.5–2 mm. long, frequently splitting with age, glabrous, persistent; bracteoles similar but slightly shorter. Tepals united for about half their length, densely sinuose-lanuginose, the lobes very delicate, hyaline except for a pale, firmer midrib, whole perianth c. 2–2.5 mm. long at maturity. Staminal tube completely adnate to the perianth tube, the filaments indicated only by short, triangular teeth; anthers very small, c. 0.25 mm., ovoid. Ovary ellipsoid, firm only at the extreme apex; style very short, c. 0.25 mm. long. Capsule c. 1–1.25 mm. long, ellipsoid. Seed c. 1 mm. long, compressed-ellipsoid, chestnut-brown, faintly reticulate.
